Musical instrument



/NVeA/Ta/Q ,MZ/ www Nov. 6, 1934. G. B. NYGREN MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed May l5. 1955 Patented Nov. 6, 1934 1,979,635 y YMUSICAL INSTRUMENT Gustaf Bernhard Nygren, Krylbo, Sweden Application May 15, 1933, Serial No. 671,239 In Sweden May 2, 1932 2 Claims.

This device relates to a device in stringed instruments of the kind substantially used for accompaniment to song or music.

The novelty according to the invention is the position of the strings, the provision of upwardly swingable and transversely sldable or shiftable rods having recesses, and the insertion of socalled septima strings with dampers in each string group, in order to obtain septima-chords.

Zithers having turnable metal strings for changing the chords are old, but n the said instruments all strings of each string group are equally long, and the turnable metal rods lie at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the strings. As there are no short strings, no high tones are obtained and the chords become less sonorous.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of the above character wherein the strings run parallel to each other and rest against straight bands, one or both of which form an acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the strings so that long as well as short strings with high and low tones are obtained. Under each string group there is one or more upwardly swngable and transversely swingable rods for increasing and decreasing the pitch of the tones of the string group. Moreover, the rods are provided with recesses for those strings in the group which for minor chords shall be of half a step lower than in major chords.

The invention is illustrated on the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a string group of a musical instrument in which the invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

On the drawing 1 indicates the sound box of the musical instrument, and 2 the lid of the same. Slantwise across the right portion of the lid 2 (on the drawing) is arranged a beam 3 provided with fixing nails 4 and tuning supporting nails 5 and a metal rod 26 or the like. From the xing nails 4 over the metal rod 26, past the supporting nails 5 to turning nails 9 inserted at the opposite end of the instrument are stretched strings 6, 7, 8. Before reaching the tuning nails the strings are passed over a metal rod 10 and supporting nails 11. In the embodiment shown the metal rod 10 forms an acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the strings. Some strings 6, 7 are tuned to a certain major chord while the other 8 are tuned to a whole step under the key-note for the chord in question. The last-mentioned strings 8 are intended to sound only during septima-chords,

and in order to prevent their sounding during l it may be retained in the depressed position. The ,6 5

stopping device consists of a hook 16 secured in the middle of the lower side of the wooden rod 13, the said hook in the depressed position cooperating with a hook secured in the lid 2. The hook 16 may easily be brought out of engagement with the hook 17 by a small pressure on one side of the key 15.

For retuning the chords to different heights of the tunes three upwardly swingable metal rods 18, 19, 20 are provided under the strings adjacent to one end of the string group. These rods are slidable in their longitudinal direction or slidable or shiftable transversely relative to the strings. One of the said metal rods, 18, is shown in a raised position. The positions of the metal rods are exactly adjusted so that in the raised position they shorten the string length corresponding to a half, one, and one and a half step respectively. The metal rods 18, 19, 20 are provided with handles 21 for facilitating the upward andA downward swinging and shifting thereof.

In order to facilitate retuning from major to minor the metal rods 18, 19, 20 are provided in their outer edges with recesses 22 in such a position that by a displacement of the respective metal rods they may be brought under the strings which during a minor chord are to lie half a step lower than in` a major chord. By a longitudinal displacement of for example the rod 18 so that the recesses 22 come under the strings 7 which represent the third in the chord only the strings 6 and S will be shortened half a step when raising the rod 18 upwardly, whereas the strings 7 remain unshortened. Thus, if the strings 8 are held damped a minor chord is obtained. Higheri minor chords may be obtained in a correspond` ing manner by sliding and raising the rods 19 and 2O respectively. It must, however, be observed that if minor chords are to be obtained by a rod the preceding disk must be set for major chords,

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a musical instrument, groups of substantially parallel arranged strings-Which are tuned in certain chords, rods on which the ends of the strings rest, one of the rods being arranged at an acute angle to the longitudinal direction of the strings, a set of upwardly swinging rods arranged at an acute angle with respect to each other and,v

which act on the same strings for shortening them, said swingable rods being provided with recessesfor certain of the strings, in order that` the strings will not be shortened upon the upward swinging of the rods, and the swingable rods being also slidable in their longitudinal direction sok that the recesses do not leave any strings free.

an acute angle "to'each other under the stringsl and between the rods so that al1 strings can be simultaneously shortened a semitone or a full tone and moreover the shortened strings can be .re-tuned from major to minor.

` PGUsTAF BERNHARD NYGREN. 

